Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-09-28
RAILROADS IN THE DISTRICT.
Report Of Capt. Griffin i'm Answer to
the Senate Committee lnquiries.


RAILWAY TRACKS IN THE CITY AND THE STREET Paw.
ING BETWEEN AND ADJOINING THE RAIIS-As TO
THE BEST FORM OF RAIL-COST OF MAINTAINING
TRACKS, ETC, ETC.
Capt Eugene Griffin, Of the Engineer Depart
ment OF the District government, has submitted
to the Engineer Commissioner OF the District the
following report upon the subject Of steam and
street railway companies In the District:
have the honor to submit the following report
on the communication of the Hon. j. j. ingalls,,
chairman Senate committee on the District OF
Columbia, asking for certain information in refer.
ence to steam railroad companies and street rail-
ways in the District OF Columbia.
STEAM RAILROAD COMPANIES.
Questions l, . and are OF legal nature, and
can best be considered by the law department.
Questions 4, ), 6 and z are, understand, now
under consideration by the Engineer Commits
sioner.
STREET RAILWAYS.
Question l. Whether any portion OF the city OF
District require additional accommodations; and
If so, what?
The accompanying plat shows the street-car and
nerd1c lines within the city limits. Additional
east section. A road on Maryland avenue, from
the capitol to Boundary street, would probably
give all the additional accommodation required at
Question .. After satisfying yourselves by in
quiry, state what kind of rail should be used,
whether uniform or otherwise; and whether there
Is any practical difficulty In the use of the same
track by cars moved by horses and others moved
by cable power?
THE BEST FORM OF RAII.
Is that which fulflS the following conditions: i.
1t should reduce the necessary traction power to
minimum, at the same time combining the cars to
the tracks o 1t should be durable. 3. 1t should
offer little or no obstruction to the passage OF Or
binary vehicles. 4. 1t should be OF such shape
as not TO accommodate or hold street refuse and
filth, or to interfere in any way with the proper
pOl1c1ng OF the streets. 5. 1t should be SO con-
structed as to be easily renewed Or repaired with
out cutting out or disturbing the street pavement.
nave / solid bearing throughout, to which sup
port 1t should be firmly attached. This gives true
grades and straight lines, which IS not the case
with ordinary rails, There is not a rail in this
city which has been in use one or more years
since laying or relaying which has not one or
more loose spikes, and which has not vertical
motion or "play' under the weight of q passing
car. Rails bolted TO wooden strhgers win not
and cannot remain firm, because OF the material
and the conditions to which it is subjected.
The second condition requires that the rails
Shall be OF steel, proportional in weight TO the
traffic which they bear.
The third condition requires that The rail shall
De nusl with the surface OF the street pavement.
This condition cannot be obtained absolutely. The
grooved rail- Is superior TO all Others in this re-
spect. The Side-bearng rail, such as used in the
Columbia Road Is perhaps the best for ordinary
vehicles travelling On the tracks where the width
the road gauge; but railway tracks are used but
little as tramways, In this city, the smooth pave
nents being preferred, and this special considera-
llOn should be given but little weight.
The fourth condition is fulfilled by tae grooved
or side-bearing rail better than by the other
forms.
The fifth condition requires that all parts Of
the track below the surface shall be permanent,
not subject TO decay or injury, and that the rails
Snail De fastened TO the strlngers or supports by
screws or other devices which are accessible from
the surface.
THE COST OF A TRACK
consists OF two distinct clements The cost OF con-
struction and the cost OF maintenance. The orig
inal cost OF double track similar to that OF the
Metropolitan road in this city, is estimated at
about s11 600 per mile, not including pavement
outside OF the rails or between The two tracks, as
follows: Rails 81 lbs. per yard, 12O tons al $4,000,
$o,04O. Wooden strngers, 5x6.52, 800 reet b. NJ,
m iees er M at pss wSSaen es es 4A1 ~
$50; spikes, 30 kegs $3.50; cObbestones, 5,521.
yards, at ID cents So2S.69; laying cObflestOne
pavement, @ o,324.6 yards, at 10 cents, 552.4o;
gravel, Sl67.5O; excavating and building track,
$2,64o. Total, S10,90l.99.
THE COST OF MAINTENANCE
may be approximately ascertained as follows:
The average life Of the timber is about eight years
The track must be renewed every eight Years.
which involves the purchase OF strtngers and
Ties with the necessary nails and spikes, the re-
moval and relaying OF the cObDlestone pavement
ana the rebuilding or The track. Renewals while
luc Todu Is opcu tO tTdIlc cost Onetlru more than
new CONSTRUCTIONS. On this basis each renewal
costs:
SLrhSerS. 81, 1Oa so
lies. Observation-Disclosures. 467.04
Nalls anu spikes taOOut) t).................. g.
heDuNuihs Track; :............... 3,52a0O
Taking up and relay1ng cObDle Qncluded
pNi'"J.
Total l...................$5, s., l5e5 SO
or $64495 per year. The rails Will last II years.
Each renewal costs s., ,O4O or $5,O4O21 $40 per
year. Inc coDble pavement Will require reiayiag
ABOUT every Two years, or 3 5)24.6 square yards aI
IL cents per square yard=s66,. .9o-2=$ $33147 per
year. Annual cost OF maintenance:
Renewal OF track. sR44 G5
. fallS. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 24O.O CO
"pavement.. ................... :SSl A
IoIal ...........,...... 81, ZIG. az
THE YEARLY EXPENDITURE OF THE WASHINGTON